Posts Tagged ‘Results’

Note: This article is written from my viewpoint as a trainer and user of high-energy, lineal vibration platforms. The results and the experiences described are not necessarily replicable on lower level machines, such as PowerPlate, FitVibe, nor on pivotal platforms of any kind.

It’s just an anti-cellulite massage – right –
how can there be a Part 2; surely its not that complicated?

Well, yes, really it is – the vibration training anti-cellulite massage is complex; its quite different to the training program, and in some studios you even pay an extra price to add it to your program.

In part 1 I’ve covered the basic process of how it works, enhancing blood flow to the backs of the legs and the butt, breaking down some of the static fat and transporting it back into the circulatory system.

So, what does this massage actually feel like?

I’m going to start by saying, we get a lot of jibes from the wider fitness industry about vibration training; the words – vibe, vibration, and anti-cellulite massage get talked about accompanied with raucous laughter and more so when they joke about girls sitting about on heavily vibrating platforms. Some of these jokes are deliberately trying to discredit the fitness and strength training that we do, rather than accepting it as a valid alternative to the gym, but it’s probably fair enough to laugh about the anti-cellulite massage; after all, the ladies anti-cellulite massage means sitting on the world’s most powerful vibrators.

Is it really that nice?

No, It isn’t all fun! I said in my previous article (Part 1), the massage can be extremely irritating and it makes your legs itch so badly it’s hard to keep still. It can feel like being attacked by thousands of tickling or biting little ants. Oh Fun, maybe? Click here to read more

For one thing – the anti-cellulite massage is very annoying. It can make your butt itch so bad you hop about for ages afterwards.

Sitting on the machine, legs spread-eagled,leaning forward and resting arms over a big flat rubber mat or dangling the arms down by your ankles (which is very important to keep the backbone slightly lifted off the machine); then being pounded into the backs of the legs and parts of your butt; it isn’t necessarily a pleasant feeling.

It’s easy to picture what’s happening if you think of a big juicy piece of steak and imagine pounding it over, and over, and over with a heavy wooden (or metal) meat tenderiser. Keep that up for three minutes and what happens to the steak? Yes, it flattens and some of the fats and other juices run off. » Read more: Vibration Training Anti-Cellulite Massage

Every day I am asked this question or a variation of it.

The new year is definitely underway and it’s very busy at Vibra-Train Auckland City. Each day has a mix of “old” and “new” customers – those who know the program really well training alongside newbies who need fully supervised training. The studio operates on a “walk-in” basis, no appointments necessary so people just turn up when it suits them, before work, at lunchtime, after work, at night, and for some who work in large businesses nearby, they come in anytime during the day, even during their personal/bathroom break.

It’s the last day of 2012; in fact there’s only 7 hours left of this year here in New Zealand. And what a year it’s been!

I’m going to stick to Vibration Training and try to list at least some of the highlights. Also personally for me it’s been a very good year.

We are at an exciting time in the timeline of Vibration Training; right at the point where Real Vibration Training and Real Vibration Machines – both pivotal and lineal – are becoming accepted as a fully valid form of fitness training. Not that it hasn’t been accepted for quite a few years already but, in my experience, it’s been an ongoing battle with gyms and personal trainers and even with medical people like physical therapists. It’s felt like vibration machines have been seen as only a minor method of achieving results, up till now.

This has changed – with the clean up of the industry worldwide and with such an enormous amount of information available online (and big thanks to Lloyd Shaw for both), consumers, whether they are buying a machine or looking for a training studio, are aware and knowledgable. They are unlikely to be suckered in by smooth talking marketers. Likewise people starting up training studios or buying or leasing a machine for their fitness studio or gym know what questions to ask and what they want . Even the buzz words, lineal ( a variation of linear) and pivotal are well known and there’s very little confusion when questions are asked about machines.

2013 is going to be huge in this industry. I hope the marketers that sell home machines (the honest ones that is) and the studio owners and trainers are ready for this.

Vibration Machines are right now being used for:

High intensity fitness training for muscle strength and endurance. This is for athletes as an addition to their program. Vibration Training on high energy lineal machines does not make people bulk up, instead it provides muscle strength and shape and toning.

High intensity fitness training – the same as above but I’ve given it a separate listing – for everyone who wouldn’t list themselves as athletes. Some combine it with swimming or walking, some with jogging. Others use an exercycle or a bike. These people want the very best fitness and the very best toning and body look they can achieve and are prepared to vibration train three times a week (on real machines with a real program) to get it.

High intensity and/or Medium intensity training for people who really don’t want to exercise but know they need to, or they are time short, or they have minimal starting strength or fitness. These people get such good results by committing to training two or three times a week.

Therapy or Physio work and/or training for people with limited mobility, for whatever reason. Vibration Machines used with a proper program save lives. I’ve been in this category at times; after surgery and after injuring my knees, which I have an annoying habit of doing by tripping over things.

There are so many examples of results and on a hot, sunny, end of year day, I’m not going to attempt a long list, just a few:

One of my regular, twice weekly customers has gained a lot of strength. She’s mid-50’s and works cleaning large homes. She’s got way more stamina than when she started training with me early in the year.

There’s been many older people start training this year and I’ve had the privilege of watching them gain in strength and mobility. Also surety of balance, lessening the chance of falls.

And also some very young customers, young men mostly, ranging in age from 12- 17. I see changes in these young men within three or four visits. I’m left asking myself how they gain so much so very quickly. One younger client today, I commented on how his very curved and hunched over spine was already straightening up. He was walking “taller” and when I observed him in the mini-plank position his back was held straight.

I have just one customer in a wheelchair and several who do a therapy program where they sit in a chair with their feet on the machine, usually for 3 lots of 3 minutes. These customers tell me how much benefit this simple, no effort therapy is doing for them, improving their circulation and vey mildly stimulating leg and butt muscles and so reducing stiffness and for some getting rid of pain.

This list could go on forever so I’ll add just two more examples:

My daughter has been training at Vibra-Train all year, three times a week, totally regularly. Her results are astounding. She’s changed from an extremely thin, low bodyweight, low strength, always tired young girl, into a very well toned, mildly muscular, healthy looking young lady. She’s stressing about putting on weight – oh yes, vibration training will do that to you IF your body needs it, but what a difference it’s made to her. She rarely gets sick now whereas before she seemed to always have colds and flu or just plain exhaustion.

And as I said, its been a good year for me personally. Looking back it seems I’ve spent a lot of time complaining, mostly about being “too busy”. At the end of the year that doesn’t feel like something to complain about. Busy is good! Mostly it’s been busy at my job at Vibra-Train Auckland City. We’ve seen many new people this year, run various promotions to keep the public knowledgeable and I’ve been actively updating the Vibra-Train Facebook page. Along with being a very “in demand” trainer , well I didn’t leave enough time for the regular updates this website blog had in past years. I didn’t set up my own business FaceBook page, I didn’t get the look of this website updated – all these, and very much more, have been moved into 2013 calendar.

What I have achieved personally, as well as being the best vibration training instructor in the world, and part managing the world’s first and busiest vibration training studio, I’ve had my lease Vibra-Train machine out being used in a small Personal Training studio. Did I remember to say I get emails daily asking all sorts of questions about Vibration Machines and Vibration Training and I answer these with advice, examples, links and more. I’ve been the “man” behind the camera in a couple of video shoots, now on YouTube (under VibraTrain).

And in my health I’ve become well again. It’s been two years since my last operation and the surgeon was right, it’s taken the whole two years to heal. In the first year I gained a lot of weight, so my already bigger size blosomed almost 20Kg more. I was truely obese, nowhere near as large as the morbidly obese clients I train but, way, way too big; a result of not being able to exercise sufficiently while healing and consoling myself with too much food. I’ve said before, I’m an emotional eater, I eat too much when I’m happy and too much when I’m sad – I don’t believe I’m so different from most women excepting a few who have amazing self control. The good news is I’m back to exercising, doing the full Vibra-Train Safety Program, and being more in control of what I’m eating – I’ve lost 10Kg weight.

And so to a New Year. I’m very excited. There are challenges ahead and busy times. It’s going to be the best year yet!

The question is asked, “Can I come to Vibra-Train if I have Diabetes Type 1?”

I’ve answered this before and the quick answer is yes, you can use both pivotal and lineal machines, even high energy machines, as long as you’re blood sugar is controlled and stable; you test before and after your session (about 30 minutes after generally) and you know how to interpret the results and act on them.

You will see that some vibration training companies list type-1 diabetes as a contra-indication but here at Vibra-Train (high energy lineal machines) we allow and even encourage training. Our customers are fully supervised and we’ve never had any problems. In studio training is, I believe, safer and than using a home machine.

The same answer for people with type-2 diabetes – these people absolutely, must exercise, they are often overweight or obese and that has been one of the factors in actually developing diabetes. These people benefit from in studio training with the IVTRB safety program and fully supervised (the same as all customers) and where they see a “can do!” attitude – in all types of people from athletes to those with disabilities. Their fears and excuses about exercise very soon disappear. If they can’t access a studio or choose not to they can use a home machine – if they buy a suitable one. Just any cheap machine will not do the job!

Check out my previous articles on this topic:

One Customers experience

One of my client’s has type-1 diabetes. She bought a promo deal we had running on a daily deal website. She’s not the first person I’ve trained with this condition but I still wanted to be careful, especially with her first three sessions to see how she responded to the work-out. She was trained exactly as all others. We insist people eat at least a banana if not a whole meal before they train. This is a hard ask for some, who insist they don’t eat early in the morning (people who come in on their way to work) or they don’t ever eat right before exercise (at any time of the day). The rule is non-negotiable – no food = no training. Using high energy lineal machines causes blood sugar to drop. The first four poses have such high muscle response and you have no control over how hard you are training – the timer counts down 60 seconds while you maintain position on the vibrating platform; it’s very different to the way you can speed up and slow down when walking or running.

My client is a mother of two which is amazing in itself. She told me of the extra care she had when pregnant because of diabetes. She also works full time in a local business.

Coming in two or three times a week for the past month she’s seeing results – feeling better in mood and overall stronger; subjective for now; we’ll see her full results using the Body Composition Analyser soon.

The best thing and the reason for this article is: She’s had no problems at all with her blood sugar during or after training, no after effect problems the next day, and made no major changes to her medication. By eating a small amount of food before training her blood results have been stable afterwards.

She is surprised and I am very happy for her

She told me that when she’s done pump (a mix of light weights and movement, usually using a step), other exercises, and even yoga, she has had “bad” reactions with her blood sugar. She said it becomes irregular and remains that way for a few days even though she treats it. She goes through blood sugar lows and highs and feels unwell so has had to stop exercising. She did not tell me this when she started at Vibra-Train but she was very aware of the need for monitoring how she was doing.

It’s really, very good news that vibration training on high energy lineal machines at Vibra-Train, Auckland City, has showed itself to be a way of exercising that this client with type-1 diabetes can do.

Important:

This is one customer’s experience. It should not be expected that everyone with type-1 diabetes will have similar “no change” with their blood sugar testing. This article is based on my opinion and experience and on one client’s experience.

It is not intended to replace the advice given by your medical advisors. It is advisable to consult a doctor or medical advisor before you begin any new form of exercise and to have regular checkups.

For about five years I’ve watched Lloyd Shaw follow the IVTRB Safety Program on Vibra-Train brand vibration machines – three times a week, every week. Well not quite, there’s been a few times he’s taken a break, just a week off, usually just one or two sessions. A short amount of time off any exercise training program is good, it allows the body to completely rest and still growth and gain continues.

I’ve posted a few pics of Lloyd in previous articles, Click here to see them .

Lloyd’s been following the Safety program for six years now. If you clicked through to the older pics you”ll see that Lloyd has lost size – he no longer carries the bulk he had a year ago. This is an interesting change, he still eats burgers but I think he’s been a little more careful with food quality lately. I rarely see the pizza delivery man at the studio now. Nothing else has changed; Lloyd still eats when he’s hungry – and that’s an important point, he doesn’t overeat. He also doesn’t take supplements or steroids (never has). His protein intake is increased by a serving of pure pasteurized eggwhite (Eggcel) most days along with a few Vitamin C tablets and some Magnesium. He maintains a healthy gut and elimination with a spoonful of a fibre mix.

And this is the result, a slimmer, healthy body, with excellent muscle definition. Body Composition Analysis Machine test results put Lloyd in the highest category for muscle quality. His body fat level absolutely normal, right on the line.

When I think of the owners and marketers of many of the well known vibration machine brands I sometimes wonder what sort of results they are personally getting – from vibration training alone (its the only exercise Lloyd Shaw does).

I could name many who are young to mid aged guys. My challenge is – show us what you’ve got, show us a picture and tell us your program.

Have you ever watched an advertorial or a youtube video showing a woman on a pivotal vibration machine and laughed as you watched their butt and legs wobble about from the side to side motion of the machine?

Low Speed Pivotal Massage Machine

I have three pivotal machines in the studio where I work. Two are used for therapy poses to increase blood circulation, help with relaxation, and improve proprioception in customers who because of medical or physical disability are not yet able to use the lineal Vibra-Train machines.

Premium Speed Pivotal Workout Machine

One machine is larger and is a true workout model. It’s used mainly for physio/therapy use also but can be used for full workouts. We find out customers here, when given the choice, prefer the lineal Vibra-Train platforms.

There’s also the embarrasment factor of the pivotal machines when used in a semi or deeper squat poses – the action of the side to side motion causes the user’s butt and thighs to wobble noticeably; also in some people their hips show movement also. This is all totally normal when using this type of machine but, oh boy, does it look funny. You might have seen it in internet videos and on television where it looks amusing when the model on the machines is a tiny size 6 or 8 (N.Z. size) but can you imagine the look when a 250lb (120kg) women uses the machine? I’m asuming of course that the machine copes with this larger sized person – many pivotal machines degrade in performance well below that weight. Even a regular sized woman, say 140lbs, doesn’t look good wobbling away on the pivotal machines. But, of course, the advertisers use attractive, tiny models to promote their products.

Jumping to their defense – vibration training isn’t about looking good in the studio while doing your work-out, it simply doesn’t matter, but the wobble is not a good look!

Another defense of the “wobble”, though completely wrong this one – I’ve had people say, “oh look at their butts wobble. They MUST be losing lots of weight!” Others come into the studio and ask if our machines are like the ones they’ve seen on TV, the ones where you wobble and get slim and fit.

Is it true – can you lightly wobble your way to a new slender you? Technically any movement burns more calories than sitting still so the person on the pivotal machine is getting some benefit from it. Many “weight-loss” books tell us to move about a lot, move legs about when sitting at the office desk and fidgit with your hands. By doing this you burn a few more calories each day and a small, measurable amount in a year. Okay, its better than being sedentary but it does very little toward the goal of fat reduction and fitness. I’m amazed by the number of people who are confused by this.

To demonstrate the difference in machine types I put the questioning customer onto the large pivotal machine for a one minute semi-squat at low speed. Then they do the same position at a higher speed, again for a minute or two. You can see their thighs wobble and they feel this as a gentle activation. Those who want to can do the squat pose at high speed; 22hz is about the top before the users feet begin to slip on the (non-slip) plate. I then invite them to rest and then repeat the squat once or twice on a lineal machine, using the basic level 2 beginners unit. This machine gives a strong muscle contraction in the quads (front upper leg) when the person does a simple, deep (110 degree) squat for just 60 seconds. That’s all it takes to show the very major difference in the machine types. Watching the person on the lineal machine they appear not to be moving at all, there’s none of the “wobble” but, in their own words, they tell me how much harder it is and how much deeper they feel the muscle contraction.

It’s not possible to wobble yourself slim using a pivotal vibration machine. It might be a way to start out but its not going to work for long. Wobbling fat – wobbles fat, it might give some benefit as it will mobilise fluid and improve lymphatic drainage but real toning comes from real training – and that’s impossible on almost all pivotal machines.

I’m reminded of the slogan we use when customers complain that the training program is hard work; we tell them the sign over the door says “Vibra-TRAIN” not “Vibra-MASSAGE”

Even worse than believing that by using a low speed pivotal vibration machine, you can lose weight, tone, get fit and look like the model on the advertorial on TV or internet is the promotion of simply standing upright on the machine while you watch TV. I read an advert this week, an auction on New Zealand’s TradeMe site, where a low speed pivotal machine was being sold with the instruction to simply stand or sit on the machine and watch the pounds slip away.
IF ONLY IT WAS THAT EASY! Only the lasiest of consumers would believe that – and as I’ve written before, they seem destined to be ripped off but that sort of marketing does a lot of harm to the whole vibration training industry.

Glossary:

Lineal
A solid platform that moves straight up and down, all across the surface at the same time.

Pivotal
A Platform that tilts from side to side , so one foot goes up , while the other goes down.

When she arrived at the Vibra-Train, Auckland City studio mid-afternoon I asked her, “How are you?” She replied, “I’m alive!” Now I know that this really means, “leave me alone, I’ve had a stressful day” and as she knows the program well I did just that; I left her alone watching from a distance, as is my job, making sure she maintained each position correctly.

After the first position, she complained aloud that she disliked any exercise but knew how necessary it was, and so she came in regularly to train.

Fast forward to position number 3 – that’s just three 60 second poses on the machine and a minute or two of rest between – and she commented how alive she felt. I was still across the room but quietly smiling as that’s exactly how I feel when I do my own session.

I still left her alone; she doesn’t need hands-on training as she’s been a customer for a long time but everyone is supervised (watched over). Forward again to position 7, the anti-cellulite massage. As she was sitting on the machine Vibra-Train’s owner, Lloyd Shaw, walked into the room and spoke to the customer asking “how are you today?”, just making polite conversation.

I couldn’t resist making comment on how different her response was from what she had said when she arrived 10 minutes earlier. Despite being short, sharp, hard work Vibra-Train really does make you feel better!

Back in May 2009, I read a press release reporting amazing results of a scientific study completed by the European Association for the Study of Obesity.This controlled study was performed at the Artesis University College and the University of Antwerp in Belgium.

They stated:“vibration exercise machines may help you lose weight and trim the particularly harmful belly fat from the organs. Participants of the study who were part of the vibration training group lost 11% of their body weight and retained their loss at 10.5% after 12 months. They lost an amazing 47 square centimeters of visceral fat maintaining that loss at the final follow up”.

I was very excited because the study results were verification of what we were seeing on a daily basis at Vibra-Train. We already confidently told new clients they would start to see a decrease in their waist and belly size after just three weeks of training (9-10 sessions). We warned them that initially their weight might increase due to increases in muscle mass but that they’d see small discernable change in their shape; and then it would just get better and better. And they told us we were right – it really worked!

Then along came the detractors – they reminded me that the press release was an early report and the study had not yet been peer reviewed. They said I should wait for all the information before I jumped up and down with glee.They were sure it wouldn’t all add up,when you consider that gyms have been running “weight-loss challenges” for what seems like forever. They told me the gym based groupmusthave performed better than vibration training group; their trainers were the ones with all the experience of working with obese clients and, besides, these naysayers, thought vibration training was a fad, just like a fashion that’s popular for a short period of time and then fades away.

There were some outspoken, highly respected fitness trainers, who had never tried a vibration machine session and refused to, when it was offered, yet they held very strong views on why it couldn’t work – they couldn’t understand it, they didn’t want to even try it, yet they argued about it.They told me the study would be flawed, because it didn’t validate their training methods (gym and outdoor exercise) above using a ‘wobble machine’ (to even call a vibration platform a wobble machine showed how little they really understood).

Then a year later, April 2010, the fully reviewed study was released

It was published in ‘Obesity Facts – The European Journal of Obesity Vol 3’.

No one could argue against the full study – the results were in; visceral (belly) fat reduced the most in the Vibration Training plus Diet group compared with the Fitness plus Diet group.

For the study they used PowerPlate brand, medium energy lineal vibration machines. These machines are lower force than the Vibra-Train brand I work with and this made the results even more exciting.

Here was the proof of the claims we were making and the results we were seeing every week; the academic world vindicated us. Vibration Training on high energy lineal or, as in the study, on medium energy lineal, Vibration Machines was proven to be very effective in achieving fat loss.

Another year ahead, now July 2011

Currently I am training three very obese clients. The first is a guy who has muscular dystrophy. He uses the Vibra-Train machine that has side, vibrating handlebars. He was totally unused to regular exercise although he told me he has been a referee for cricket games in the past and his aim was to lose enough weight to do this job again. That’s his motivation; it’s what is driving him to come into the studio regularly, three times a week.

In just two months he has progressed from managing just one special, 60-second, side handlebar assisted squat position to now completing nine of these special, “ski the slopes” assisted squats. On Monday he moves onto the regular program.

To help understand how hard repeating the “ski the slopes” squat position is; I can only do seven of these back-to-back before my quads and my arm muscles feel such a burn that I have to stop for a long rest before completing the final two of the set. We use this progression, going from just one minute of this simple, aptly named “Ski the Slopes” position moving up to nine of the same, and then the person moves onto the full IVTRB Safety Program, using the side, vibrating handlebars to assist in holding all squat positions.

The facts and figures of my client’s progress: Over the eight week period he’s been doing the therapy program of assisted squats he has progressed from one squat position to nine of the same; he’s gained 2kg of muscle (this is generally thought to be impossible for people with muscular dystrophy); he has lost 2kg of fat; and has 2% less body fat overall (measurements taken by Body Composition Analyser (BCA Machine) at first session and after 8 weeks of therapy). He can now move on from therapy, onto the full fitness training program.

The second client I am working with is a morbidly obese woman. She started on a therapy program about six weeks ago. Her program started at the most basic – she sat in a chair with her feet on the edge of the machine, with a mat on the machine to prevent her feet slipping. The angle of her knees/legs was the same as the basic squat position, around 110 degrees. Three times a week she did a total of 9 minutes therapy, just simply sitting with her feet on the machine. This provides sufficient stimulation to the legs and buttocks to move fluid accumulation and improve blood circulation. This is all about saving the client’s life! After a month this lady told me how much difference this had made. She said she was able to walk easier, with less of a stoop; she felt very much “better” and so had become more active. She was better able to participate in her family life and as she had a large extended family this was really important. In a very real sense she has been given her life back.

After just one week away due to a family bereavement this client came back for her regular session and told me she was again starting to experience difficulty walking – just one week – that’s all it took for her to lose some of the gains she’d made. She does travel often to visit family so she is hoping not to have too many breaks from her therapy sessions.

Last week she progressed to using the machine for one 60-second side handlebar assisted squat after her seated session. That’s the next step; she’s moving on!

My third client is a guy who is very morbidly obese. He is, by far, the biggest of the three and his sessions are absolutely about getting his legs moving again. He has fluid pooled in his legs and probably in other parts of his body also. If it pools around his heart he will die unless there is some solid medical intervention and as things are now he is already in a serious way for other medical problems, suddenly, at any time. He’s told us several of his relatives have died from obesity related conditions. So, he’s very motivated.

It’s nonsensical telling someone as big as this man to go for a walk or a run – they can’t, yet that’s the advice the fitness industry often gives. By contrast, Vibration Therapy and Training (at specialised studios such as Vibra-Train) offers a safe, effective way to mobilise these people, in some cases to truly save their lives. It’s up to them, really – the method is there and it’s been proven effective both subjectively and in the controlled study (noted above). What they have to do is simply turn up, three times a week, and do the sessions. Then later, when able, move onto the harder, regular training program and keep doing it.

Here in Auckland, New Zealand there are studios offering free or sponsored sessions for morbidly obese people, there really is no excuse!

It’s not too hard – it starts off too easy; later it does become very hard but that’s the price we all have to accept for fitness and health.

This very obese client has also progressed from sitting in a chair in front of the machine for 3x 3 minutes (9 minutes total) to the side vibrating handlebar assisted “ski the slopes” squat position. Last time he was in I saw him do three of these. In total that was around 7,500 rapid movements. This amount of pressure into his leg, trunk and arm muscles will bring a rapid improvement to his overall condition.

In fact this degree of improvement has been so appreciated by the people in one situation where Vibra-Train has a machine available for use by obese and immobile people that the nurse supervising their sessions has been forced to lock the door to the room the vibration machine is in. Sessions are held every second day (three times a week) with a day for rest and recovery inbetween but these people not realising how important that recovery day is, were trying to use the machine every day – they were so amazed at the results and totally happy to put in the effort to get more.

Almost every day we read newspaper articles telling us how adversely our modern lifestyle is affecting our health. Obesity and along with it, type 2 diabetes is a serious problem and it affects us all. Even if you have kept normal weight, are healthy, eat good foods, and exercise regularly there will be people in your family, work or friends network that are affected – it’s like an epidemic or a virus that’s spreading out of control through the world, almost unchecked or so it seems when looking at the increasing numbers.

Are you affected or at risk? What can be done to help reverse this trend? Does exercise help and if it does what type of exercise is safe and won’t mean having to spend hours at the gym or running round and round the path at the park?

Of course most readers will know I’m going to say Vibration Training is one of the best answers but is it really okay; what about people who already have health problems? Maybe you or the person you know has aches in their knees or hips and they’ve tried other forms of exercise but had to stop as it made the problems worse. Maybe they are quite overweight and unable to walk to the letterbox without puffing and becoming short of breath.

Maybe they’ve tried a gym, even worked with a personal trainer but couldn’t find the motivation to keep it up. They could have done a 6 week BootCamp and despite it being very hard and getting some injuries or painful areas, they pushed on and completed the course. They got good results but then thought, “who wants to keep on with BootCamp two or three times a week for the rest of their lives?” Is that even safe? And I’m talking about the people who kept going, many simply drop out. They suffer the embarrassment of being last up the hill or letting their team down by being unable to carry that heavy log while clambering up the sand dunes, in mid winter.

We all need a form of exercise that we are happy to keep doing and can safely do for a long time, for the rest of our life actually – I’ve found that Vibration Training fits these criteria and many thousands of people agree.

Are there any special precautions people with diabetes need to take when doing Vibration Training?

When using a studio with supervised instruction the type 2 diabetic customer needs to make sure the instructor knows and they need to speak up if they want to take a break between positions on the machine. There’s absolutely no problem with taking a break, walking around the room, and drinking some water. Short rests can make it easier to hold the next position correctly.

Customers need to eat a meal around an hour before their session or have a banana or similar high sugar/carbohydrate snack immediately before the session – this is the same for everyone, it’s because vibration training on high energy machines is hard work and depletes blood sugars rapidly. People who haven’t eaten for some time can become dizzy and disorientated or simply find the session very much harder and find it impossible to maintain perfect position. It could even be dangerous to drive after the session. Our number 1 rule at Vibra-Train is“Always eat before arrival”.

We advise diabetic customers to take a blood sugar reading before training to ensure it is adequate and to take another reading within 30 minutes of the end of their session. This shows if they need to eat again or (unlikely), if they need insulin (that’s if they use injectable). Those who don’t normally test their blood sugar but take tablets daily will be aware of how they are feeling and will know if they need extra food soon after their workout. Its good for everyone to eat some protein based foods within an hour or so after their workout.

So, will I lose lots of weight and get off my tablets or injections?

The short answer is, “all of that is possible”, but remember its taken years to become badly overweight and so it’s going to take some time to get long term improvement. The good news is we see shape change (waist indents etc) starting in just 3 or 4 weeks and it just keeps getting better!

No-one should ever stop their medication or adjust it without their doctor’s advice. Never listen to any trainer (any sport, gym, or studio) who tells you to change or stop your medication; this is a matter for you and your medical advisors. Sometimes trainers will give you a few diet ideas, usually only if you ask or you are already talking about these things, remember that it is advice only and the decisions are yours, and if you are on medication never go onto a special or popular diet without your doctor or other medical advisors knowing.

Exercise is extremely beneficial for people who are obese, even clinically obese, and for people with type 2 diabetes. The hardest part is actually getting started!